Japan’s Rie Kaneto (picture, right) won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 200 metres breaststroke, edging out controversial Russian Yulia Efimova who won her second silver of the Games.

Shi Jinglin, of China, took the bronze.

Efimova, who was disqualified for 16 months from October 2013 to February 2015 after testing positive for an anabolic steroid, has found herself at the centre of fierce controversy in Rio, after US rival Lilly King directed comments at her over drug cheating and said she was “not a fan”.

King beat Efimova in the 100 breaststroke on Monday, when the Russian was loudly booed by the Rio crowd. On Thursday there were some jeers again as she came out for her race wearing headphones.

But she was all smiles as she waved to supporters in the crowd after accepting her medal and receiving an embrace from Kaneto, who wept tears of happiness after the ceremony.

“It was a great race, crazy and super-close because all the girls were strong. I’m so tired,” said Efimova, who won bronze in the same event in 2012.

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